Central Asian States finalize the Third Aral
Sea Basin Program
Geneva, 17 December 2010 --
On 15 December 2010 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Board of the International
Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) reviewed the draft of the
Third Aral Sea Basin Programme and submitted it for approval at
the highest political level to IFAS member States. The Programme
is a regional action plan for 2011–2015 to alleviate the environmental
and socio-economic consequences of the Aral Sea disaster and to
facilitate progress towards integrated water resources management
and sustainable development in the Aral Sea Basin.
The mandate to develop the new Programme came from the IFAS Summit
(28 April 2009, Almaty), where the Heads of Central Asian States
expressed their firm commitment to strengthen institutional and
legal frameworks for regional water resources management and tasked
the Executive Committee of IFAS to develop the new Aral Sea Basin
Programme. Since then, a series of meetings of the five Central
Asian countries and their regional organizations took place to
discuss the needs and priorities for the new Programme. The Executive
Committee also established regular coordination with international
organizations and donors to ensure support by the international
community. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
project “Regional dialogue and cooperation on water resources
management in Central Asia”, financed by the Government of Germany
through Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH
in the framework of the Berlin Water Process, assisted the IFAS
Executive Committee in implementation of the Summit’s decisions.
Last week, efforts to prepare a well-structured, effective and
realistic action plan culminated in the adoption of the Statement
by the Donors and Implementing Agencies on the Occasion of the
Presentation of the Third Aral Sea Basin Programme. The Statement
confirms that donors fully support the Programme and are ready
to work together with the Executive Committee of IFAS and the
Governments of IFAS member States in its implementation.
The new Programme covers four areas: integrated water resources
management; environmental protection; socio-economic issues and
institutional and legal strengthening of water management in the
region. It is expected to contribute to the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals, improve preparedness to address
new challenges, including climate change, and foster integrated
water resources management at the national, river-basin and regional
levels.
For further information please visit: http://www.unece.org/env/water/cadialogue/cadwelcome.htm
or contact: Mr. Marton Krasznai, UNECE Regional Adviser on Central
Asia, tel.: +41-22-9172760, [email protected]
Notes for editors:
The International Fund for saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was established
in early 1990s by five Central Asian States — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — to implement in a coordinated
way the practical measures and programmes to overcome the impacts
of the Aral crisis and to improve environmental and socio-economic
conditions in Aral Sea Basin.
Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH is an international
cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide
operations, which supports the German Government in achieving
its development-policy objectives.
The Berlin Water Process was launched at the first “Water Unites”
conference (Berlin, 1 April 2008). The Process is an important
part of the water and environment pillar of the European Union’s
Central Asia Strategy. The Transboundary Water Management in Central
Asia Programme is implemented by GTZ under the Berlin Water Process
to optimize cooperation in the Central Asian water sector and
improve the lives of people in the region.